Livestock, music dominate Isle of Wight County Fair

County fair celebrates county's agricultural roots

ISLE OF WIGHT — — Dozens of goats, sheep, hens and roosters are in their final days of preening and prepping before hitting the show rings at the Isle of Wight County Fair this weekend.

For the animals, it means clipped hooves, shearings and baths – and for chickens, that includes an extra rinse in a vinegar-and-water mixture to make their showy feathers shine. For most kids in 4-H, the fair culminates months of working with the animals, which often means raising them from bottles and tracking their food intake for the last three months, said Mark Edwards, co-chairman for the Isle of Wight County Fair's livestock tent.

"A lot of work goes into preparing the animals for the show," he said.

Organizers are expecting more than 35,000 people to converge on Heritage Park, on U.S. Route 258 outside Windsor, for the fair that runs from Sept. 13-16.

That's more the twice last year's attendance of 15,000, when three days of heavy rain made fair turnout a washout, said fair organizer and coordinator Darlene Keyt. In 2010, attendance peaked at 30,000.

"We're crossing our fingers for good weather," said Keyt, who has temporarily moved her office to the 37-acre fairgrounds this week. With the exception of possible showers on Sunday, the National Weather Service is calling for a sunny, cool weekend.

"This is a true county fair, not just a midway on an asphalt parking lot," said Keyt. "We are like a mini-state fair for areas east of Richmond."

There will be plenty of traditional activities paying homage to Isle of Wight's rural, agricultural roots: contests for the best pickles, smoke-cured hams, jams, canned tomatoes, homemade cakes and handmade quilts. There will also be lawn mower racers, bull riding competitions, camels, a petting zoo, monster trucks, amusement rides and tractor pulls.

Opening night is the best bargain for fair-goers, Keyt said. Vehicles with up to 12 people can get into the fair and have unlimited access to fair rides for $30 from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, she said. She estimated that a four-member family would save an estimated $70 in admission and ride ticket costs on opening night.

Headline entertainers for the Main Stage include the country musicians Casey James at 9 p.m. Friday, Tracy Lawrence at 9 p.m. Saturday, and Gloriana on 4:30 p.m. Sunday. More than a dozen regional bands will be playing throughout the weekend.

Plan to attend?

The Isle of Wight County Fair will be open from 5-10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16. Get event times and details at http://www.thefairiscoming.com.

Traffic alert

Peninsula residents who plan to attend the fair should be aware that the Virginia Department of Transportation is closing the southbound lanes of the James River Bridge from 9 p.m. Sept. 14 to 5 a.m. Sept. 17.